Safe battery disposal to cut landfill and fire risk

 The Buttonderry Community Recycling Centre in Jilliby is taking part in a new NSW Government trial to help households dispose of problematic embedded batteries found in wireless household products, light-up toys and disposable vapes.

The NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) is joining forces with Central Coast Council to make it easy for households and small businesses to safely dispose of embedded batteries.

This will reduce both the number of products going to landfill, and the risk of batteries sparking fires in bins and waste facilities.

As part of the trial, the Community Recycling Centre in Jilliby, operated by Central Coast Council, is now accepting household embedded battery products free of charge.

Embedded batteries are small batteries which are built into products and cannot be removed.

They have become increasingly common thanks to a rising demand for compact, long-lasting wireless devices.

Often found in household items such as single-use vapes, electric toothbrushes, e-bikes, smart watches, portable speakers and vacuums, the batteries are uniquely challenging for the waste management sector because they are made of materials, including lithium-ion, that are difficult to recycle and a significant fire hazard risk.

Minister for Central Coast and Member for Wyong David Harris said there were 193 battery-related fires in NSW this year between January 1 and August 1.

He said that was an 18 per cent increase on the same period last year. In 2023, the number of lithium-ion battery-related fires in NSW jumped to 285, more than double the previous year.

The Community Recycling Centre in Jilliby is one of 21 centres across the state participating in the new EPA-led trial, with dedicated waste bins now on site to collect embedded battery products.

E-waste that may contain embedded batteries, including laptops, gaming controllers and tablets, should still be directed to Central Coast Council’s e-waste collection service.

More information about the NSW Government’s embedded batteries trial, which is active now and will run until September 2026, can be found on the NSW EPA website: https://www.epa.nsw.gov.au/embedded-batteries

“This trial is a much-needed initiative that will help protect our local community and environment by reducing the number of embedded battery products that are mistakenly disposed of in yellow and red kerbside bins,” Harris said.

“We hope to empower Central Coast residents with new and necessary knowledge about embedded battery products, including how to identify them, the types of risks they pose and why correct disposal is so important.”

“The NSW Government is pleased to be working alongside Central Coast Council to tackle this emerging issue and contribute to a safer, more sustainable future for all,” Harris said.